Legacy by M.A. Foster
_____________________________
Katie
The Little White Chapel of Love is where Liam and Vanessa eloped nearly six years ago. Liam is recreating their first wedding, but including the families this time.
Liam and Vanessa stand before Elvis exchanging their vows. Gabbi, Kennedy, and I are Vanessa’s bridesmaids. Standing as groomsmen for Liam are Cam, Dylan, and his teammates Tyge and Deacon.
I turn my head briefly to scan the families, all wearing smiles.
Turning back to the happy couple, my gaze snags on Dylan to find him watching me.
“You may now kiss your bride,” Elvis announces.
Liam gently cups Vanessa’s face as he leans in to kiss her. Whistles and hoots echo around the small chapel.
Vanessa turns to face the room and raises her bouquet in the air. “I’m Freckles Mackenzie,” she cheers.
Liam throws his head back and laughs before scooping up his bride and carrying her to the next room. After posing for a dozen or so pictures, we all pile into the two vans and head to the steakhouse for dinner.
The private room Liam reserved is elegantly decorated in white with silver and crystal accents. Three long tables are situated into a U-shape in the middle of the room, covered in white linens, white dinnerware topped with a place card, and flanked with shiny silverware. Tall vases filled with white hydrangeas line the tables.
While everyone is finding their seats, I grab Kennedy by the arm and drag her to the bathroom.
Leaning against the sink, I ask her, “What’s going on, Ken?”
The bathroom door flies open, and Vanessa storms inside followed by Gabbi.
“You two don’t get to sneak off to gossip without us.” Vanessa props her hands on her hips. “What’s going on?”
“I was asking her the same question,” I tell them.
“Adam and I broke up,” Kennedy confesses.
“What?” Vanessa breathes, pressing a hand to her belly.
Kennedy offers her a sad smile. “It’s okay. It’s been a long time coming.”
“Did he cheat?” Gabbi asks.
“He said he never cheated.” Kennedy shrugs. “I have to believe that he respected me and our relationship enough not to. We outgrew each other. We fell in love in college when we both wanted to be lawyers. But once he decided to pursue music, I felt the strain on our relationship almost immediately. We’ll always love and care about each other, but we want different things. Adam is a good guy, and I’m grateful for our time together.”
Tears slide down Vanessa’s cheeks. I pluck a tissue from the box on the counter and pass it to her.
Kennedy frowns. “Oh jeez, V. Please don’t cry. I don’t need your husband coming after me.”
“It’s the hormones. He’s used to it.” She pats her face with the tissue.
“I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to ruin your day.”
“You didn’t. I just married the love of my life for the second time, with my friends and family by my side, and my little girl has been kicking like crazy.”
Her what?
“Excuse me?” Gabbi drawls, tilting her head. “Your what?”
Vanessa grins. “We’re telling everyone at dinner, so don’t say anything. I’m having a girl. Cameron Rose Mackenzie will be making her grand entrance in September. I hope.”
“Congrats, V.” We all three hug her at once.
“Thank you.” Vanessa steps up to the counter to check her makeup in the mirror. “Are we good now, ladies?” She turns to us with a smile. “Because I’m freaking starving.”
* * *
Kennedy yanks open the door and steps into the hallway, then quickly jerks to a stop, causing the three of us to slam into each other. The bathroom door swings shut and nails me in the back of the head.
“Ow, Ken.” I shove her forward and move to her side.
Zach is leaning against the opposite wall with his hands shoved in the pockets of his dress pants, and he does not look happy.
“Suck it up,” Vanessa murmurs. “You started it.”
“Kennedy, right?” Zach says.
“Yes,” she replies crisply.
“We haven’t been formally introduced. I’m Zach. I dated your sister in high school.”
“I know who you are.”
“Good,” he clips. “Then I’ll get to the point.” He pushes off the wall, straightening to his full height. “You hurt my wife’s feelings today.”
“I—” Kennedy starts, but Zach holds up a hand and shakes his head. The expression on his face says he doesn’t want to hear what she has to say, nor does he give a shit.
“I understand that, as Reagan’s big sister, you’re feeling protective or defensive,” he continues. “However, you don’t know the kind of person Reagan was in high school. She hurt people, including me. Most of all Jay.”
Kennedy’s shoulders drop on a sigh. “I was planning to pull her aside and apologize.”
“I’d appreciate it. Jay is a very forgiving person, and she understands you were just sticking up for your sister.” He turns to walk away but pauses, twisting around and pinning her with a glare. “Don’t ever disrespect my wife again. Because next time it won’t be just me coming for you.”
Zach disappears around the corner, and Kennedy blows out a breath before turning to me with a look of disbelief. “I just got told off by a teenager.”
“He’s not a teenager,” I say with a laugh, hooking an arm through hers as we head back to the room. “And you totally had that coming.”
“Whatever.”
“Heed his warning,” Vanessa adds. “She could’ve easily gone to her mother, or anyone in her family for that matter, and they would’ve come at you guns blazing, but instead, she took it to her husband.”
“Choose your battles, Ken,” Gabbi says. “Do you really want to disturb the hive over what Jayla may or may not have done to your sister in high school? Just because she walked away doesn’t mean she’ll put up with your shit. She left the room out of respect for Vanessa. Her family has been through a lot, and they’re very protective of their own. The Mackenzies are Vanessa’s family now, so you better do some damage control.”
“You guys are still my family,” Vanessa chimes in. “The Fab Four forever, bitches.”
* * *
Dylan
“Are you sure they’re gonna let us in?” Cole asks as the van stops outside the nightclub entrance.
“I don’t even know how to answer that without sounding like a pretentious bitch,” Jay replies.
“Who the fuck in their right mind is going to refuse Jayla King?” I tease.
She turns to me with an amused grin. “You said it, not me.”
I shoot her a wink as the van door slides open, and we all climb out and head inside.
Jay was able to reserve us a table in the VIP section of a club called Chateau for an afterparty. The majority of the wedding guests returned to the hotel, but the rest of us wanted to experience a night out in Vegas.
The VIP section is on the rooftop of the club overlooking the strip. A long white leather sofa is flanked by two matching love seats facing each other, giving it a U-shape. A white-lacquered coffee table is situated between them, topped with an ice bucket filled with two bottles of champagne. Logan is sitting beside me on the sofa. Liam is on one love seat with his teammate Deacon beside him. Cole is on the other love seat with Liam’s roommate and teammate, Tyge. The girls are on the private dance floor, and Zach is on the far side of the VIP section, talking to Jay’s security team, Levi and Troy.
“How old is that girl?” Tyge asks, jerking his chin toward Jay’s friend Piper.
“She’s too young for you,” Liam says with a warning in his tone.
“She’s the same age is Jay,” I tell him.
Tyge shoots Liam a smirk. “So, she’s legal?”
Liam shakes his head and turns his attention back to Deacon.
Zach drops down on the sofa beside me and blows out a breath, keeping his attention on Jay. “I’m tired.”
“It’s the time change,” I tell him. “What was wrong with Jay earlier?”
He makes a noise in his throat. “Vanessa’s friend Kennedy is Reagan’s sister.”
“Seriously?” This comes from Cole.
“Yeah.” Zach huffs. “She said some shit to Jay while they were all in the room getting ready.”
Suddenly, Liam’s face comes into view, his expression hard. “What did she say to her?” His voice is low but carries a hint of anger.
“She called her a bully.” Zach’s lips twist to the side, and Liam laughs.
Jay is the furthest thing from a bully. She might have that Mackenzie temper, but she’s got the biggest heart.
“Don’t say anything,” Zach warns Liam. “I already took care of it.”
“Good.” His gaze darts to Vanessa. “I don’t want to have to piss off my wife.”
I turn my attention to Logan beside me. His gaze is zeroed in on Kennedy, and I can’t tell if he hates her or wants to fuck her.
“You’ve been extremely quiet this trip. You good?”
“Yeah. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” He lifts his chin, gesturing to Kennedy. “So she’s Judge Vaughn’s daughter.”
“She’s engaged,” I tell him.
“I don’t see a ring on her finger.”
Hmm. I don’t either. “Maybe she’s back on the market.” I shrug. “Go for it.”
“She’s hot.”
She is. I’ll give him that.
“She looks like she’s got a stick up her ass.”
His lips pull into a playful grin. “I’d like to pull that stick out of her ass and replace it with my dick.”
A collective round of laughter echoes around us.
“I’m serious.” He chuckles, turning his attention back to Kennedy. “There’s something about chicks like her that turns me on. All prim and proper, but you get them in bed and they’re so eager to please.”
“Like Gianna?” I hedge.
Logan hums, nodding slowly. “That was an interesting night.”
Gabbi steps in front of Kennedy.
Logan jerks his chin at her. “Now that one is a wildcat.”
“You fucked her?” I choke out.
“Last year after Zach and Jay’s wedding.”
Zach leans forward to speak to his brother. “You know she’s Levi’s sister. Do you have a death wish?”
Logan lifts a shoulder as if he couldn’t give a shit. “Totally worth it.”